One general rule of modern politics is that the people who talk most about future generations — who go around solemnly declaring that we’re burdening our children with debt — are, in practice, the people most eager to sacrifice our future for short-term political gain. You can see that principle at work in the House Republican budget, which starts with dire warnings about the evils of deficits, then calls for tax cuts that would make the deficit even bigger, offset only by the claim to have a secret plan to make up for the revenue losses somehow or other.

Southern California — this just in

Bullet train planners reverse course, revive Anaheim service

April 12, 2012 | 2:43pm

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Responding to an outpouring of criticism from Orange County business, civic and political leaders, California’s bullet train agency reversed itself Thursday and voted to pursue a direct service link to Anaheim in the project’s initial phase.

The commitment came as the California High Speed Rail Authority board, meeting in San Francisco, adopted a crucial $68-billion business plan for the controversial project.

As Amtrak continues to set ridership records, chief executive Joseph Boardman said Wednesday that new rail tunnels to New York are “critical” to meeting growing passenger demand.

Amtrak is seeking $35 million this year to advance plans for its $13.5 billion Gateway proposal to increase rail service on the Northeast corridor by adding two tunnels under the Hudson, replacing the century-old Portal Bridge near Newark, and expanding Pennsylvania Station in New York.

Advocates for passenger rail service in southwest Kansas are looking for funding solutions to keep Amtrak’sAmtrakLatest from The Business JournalsFollow this company Southwest Chief route running through the area.

The Garden City Telegram reports that according to an Amtrak presentation in Garden City, the company’s officials are considering re-routing the Southwest Chief to the south, so it would no longer go through southwest Kansas. They say a change is necessary because Amtrak uses a track that is owned and operated by BNSF Railway, which has reduced its maintenance efforts on the track now that much of BNSF’s freight traffic uses a different route. Maintenance and repair costs now rest mostly with Amtrak.